MLS playoff picture: Clinching scenarios for Saturday

A number of MLS playoff spots are on the line this weekend, and additional Concacaf Champions Cup berths were secured this week.

Let’s get to it. Here’s a look at the teams that can clinch MLS postseason berths on Saturday:

Simplest route: There is no simple route … all scenarios include Charlotte FC having to win at league leader Inter Miami
Most convoluted route: Win, and Atlanta United loss or draw, and CF Montréal loss or draw, and D.C. United loss or draw, and Nashville SC loss or draw

Simplest route: Win
Most convoluted route: FC Dallas loss or draw

Simplest route: Win or draw
Most convoluted route: FC Dallas loss or draw

Simplest route: Win, and Toronto FC loss or draw, and D.C. United loss or draw, and Nashville SC loss or draw
Most convoluted route: Win, and Atlanta United loss or draw, and CF Montréal loss or draw, and D.C. United loss or draw, and Nashville SC loss or draw

Simplest route: Win
Most convoluted route: Nashville SC loss or draw, and Atlanta United loss or draw, and D.C. United loss or draw and CF Montréal loss

Simplest route: Win
Most convoluted route: Draw and Nashville SC loss or draw, and Atlanta United loss or draw, and D.C. United loss or draw, and CF Montréal loss or draw

Simplest route: Win, and FC Dallas loss, and Austin FC loss or draw
Most convoluted route: N/A (there’s only one scenario)

Simplest route: Win
Most convoluted route: Loss, and FC Dallas loss, and Austin FC loss or draw

Simplest route: Win, and FC Dallas loss or draw
Most convoluted route: Draw, and FC Dallas loss, and Austin FC loss or draw

In addition to those scenarios, the LA Galaxy can lock up home-field advantage in the Western Conference playoffs this weekend.

MLS Matchday 35: What are Saturday’s games?

(All games available on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.)

FC Cincinnati vs. Los Angeles FC, 7:30 p.m. ET
D.C. United vs. Columbus Crew, 7:30 p.m. ET
Inter Miami CF vs. Charlotte FC, 7:30 p.m. ET
CF Montréal vs. San Jose Earthquakes, 7:30 p.m. ET
New England Revolution vs. Nashville SC, 7:30 p.m. ET
New York Red Bulls vs. New York City FC, 7:30 p.m. ET
Philadelphia Union vs. Atlanta United, 7:30 p.m. ET
Austin FC vs. Real Salt Lake, 8:30 p.m. ET
Chicago Fire FC vs. Toronto FC, 8:30 p.m. ET
FC Dallas vs. Orlando City SC, 8:30 p.m. ET
Minnesota United FC vs. Colorado Rapids, 8:30 p.m. ET
St. Louis City SC vs. Sporting Kansas City, 8:30 p.m. ET
Seattle Sounders FC vs. Houston Dynamo FC, 10:30 p.m. ET
Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. Portland Timbers, 10:30 p.m. ET

What is the format for the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs?

A total of 18 teams qualify for the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs — the top nine finishers from each conference.

The eighth- and ninth-place finishers in each conference will play in wild-card matches. The top seven seeds qualify for the Round 1 best-of-three series.

When do the MLS playoffs start?

Here is the playoff schedule:

Oct. 3: Wild-card matches (single-elimination matches)
Oct. 26-Nov. 10: Round 1 (best-of-three series)
Nov. 23-24: Conference semifinals (single-elimination matches)
Nov. 30-Dec. 1: Conference finals (single-elimination matches)
Dec. 7: MLS Cup (single winner-take-all match)

MLS CUP: Ranking every Major League Soccer championship game

MLS playoff picture: If the season ended today …

Heading into MLS Matchday 35, these would be the MLS playoff matchups through the first round …

EASTERN CONFERENCE

➤ Clinched playoff spot: Columbus Crew, FC Cincinnati, Inter Miami CF

Wild-card match:

Toronto FC (No. 8 seed) vs. Philadelphia Union (9)

Round 1 (best-of-three series):

Inter Miami CF (1) vs. Toronto FC-Philadelphia Union winner
FC Cincinnati (2) vs. New York City FC (7)
Columbus Crew (3) vs. Charlotte FC (6)
New York Red Bulls (4) vs. Orlando City SC (5)

WESTERN CONFERENCE

➤ Clinched playoff spot: Colorado Rapids, LA Galaxy, Real Salt Lake

Wild-card match:

Portland Timbers (No. 8 seed) vs. Minnesota United FC (9)

Round 1 (best-of-three series):

LA Galaxy (1) vs. Portland Timbers-Minnesota United FC winner
Real Salt Lake (2) vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC (7)
Colorado Rapids (3) vs. Seattle Sounders FC (6)
Los Angeles FC (4) vs. Houston Dynamo FC(5)

MLS betting odds: Who is favorite to win championship?

According to BetMGM, Inter Miami CF (+150) is the current favorite to win the 2024 league championship, followed by LA Galaxy (+600), Columbus Crew (+700), Los Angeles FC (+900) and FC Cincinnati (+1200).

Concacaf Champions Cup 2025: MLS teams that have qualified

So far, six MLS clubs have qualified for next year’s Concacaf Champions Cup competition:

➤ Colorado Rapids: Via winning third-place match of Leagues Cup

➤ Columbus Crew: Via winning Leagues Cup

➤ Inter Miami CF: Via being among two next-best clubs in MLS Supporters’ Shield standings

➤ Los Angeles FC: Via being Leagues Cup runners-up (also U.S. Open Cup winner)

➤ Sporting Kansas City: Via being a U.S. Open Cup finalist (if the U.S. Open Cup winner also holds another Concacaf Champions Cup qualification spot, the tournament’s runner-up will earn a Concacaf Champions Cup spot)

➤ Vancouver Whitecaps FC: Via winning the Canadian Championship

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